BETA


2011/0451(NLE) Hague Convention (1980) on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction: accession of Morocco

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead JURI HAUTALA Heidi (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE) ZWIEFKA Tadeusz (icon: PPE PPE), HONEYBALL Mary (icon: S&D S&D), DZHAMBAZKI Angel (icon: ECR ECR), CAVADA Jean-Marie (icon: ALDE ALDE)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 081-p3, TFEU 218

Events

2015/12/17
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

PURPOSE: to authorise certain Member States to accept, in the interest of the EU, the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2015/2357 authorising certain Member States to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

CONTENT: by this Decision, the Member States that have not yet done so are authorised to accept the accession of Morocco to the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (‘the 1980 Hague Convention’) in the interest of the Union.

The European Union has set as one of its aims the promotion of the protection of the rights of the child, as stated in Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union. Measures for the protection of children against wrongful removal or retention are an essential part of that policy.

Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 complements and reinforces the 1980 Hague Convention, which establishes, at international level, a system of obligations and cooperation among contracting states and between central authorities and aims to ensure the prompt return of wrongfully removed or retained children.

The 1980 Hague Convention does not allow regional economic integration organisations such as the Union to become party to it. Therefore, the Union cannot accede to that Convention, nor can it deposit a declaration of acceptance of an acceding state. All Member States of the Union are party to the 1980 Hague Convention.

The Union encourages third states to accede to the 1980 Hague Convention. Morocco deposited its instrument of accession to the 1980 Hague Convention on 9 March 2010. The 1980 Hague Convention entered into force for Morocco on 1 June 2010.

Several Member States have already accepted the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention. An assessment of the situation in this country has led to the conclusion that those Member States that have not yet accepted the accession of Morocco, are in a position to accept, in the interest of the Union, the accession of this country under the terms of the 1980 Hague Convention.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 18.12.2015.

2015/12/10
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2015/12/10
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2015/02/11
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2015/02/11
   EP - Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 654 votes to 42, with 9 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on the declaration of acceptance by the Member States, in the interest of the European Union, of the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

Parliament approved the proposal for a Council decision and the acceptance of the accession.

Documents
2015/02/10
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2015/01/22
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Details

The Committee on Legal Affairs adopted the report by Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI) on the proposal for a Council decision on the declaration of acceptance by the Member States, in the interest of the European Union, of the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The Convention introduces a system of cooperation between the contracting states aimed at settling cases of international child abduction.

In the case of divorce, it may often be that the courts in both of the states concerned declare themselves competent, with each of them awarding custody of the child to the parent who is a national of their state.

The purpose of the Convention is to resolve such situations at an international level, by establishing that the competent courts and applicable laws are those of the state of residence of the child . The Convention also introduces a system which ensures the immediate return of children who have been abducted .

The EU now has exclusive external competence in this field as confirmed by the Court of Justice in Opinion 1/13. The Member States therefore no longer act on their own account.

The problem is that the Convention does not provide for autonomous action by international organisations. This has rendered necessary a Council Decision calling on Member States to accept – each in respect of their own territory – the accession of Morocco to the Convention, and hence the effective entry into force of the Convention in cases involving the EU and that country (many EU citizens are of Moroccan origin). Children with links to the Moroccan community will thus be safeguarded against abduction.

Therefore, the committee recommended that the European Parliament approve the proposed Council Decision and approve the acceptance of the accession of Morocco.

Documents
2015/01/20
   EP - Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
2014/12/08
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2014/11/24
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
2014/11/04
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2014/09/03
   EP - HAUTALA Heidi (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in JURI
2011/12/21
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: in the interest of the EU, to adopt on the declaration of acceptance by the Member States of the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the aim of the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, to date ratified by 86 countries, including all EU Member States, is to restore the status quo by mean of the prompt return of wrongfully removed or retained children through a system of cooperation among central authorities appointed by its Contracting Parties.

As the prevention of child abduction is an essential part of the EU policy to promote the rights of the child, the European Union is active at international level to improve the application of the 1980 Convention and encourages third States to accede it.

Morocco deposited the accession instrument to the 1980 Convention on 9 March 2010. The Convention entered into force in Morocco on 1 June 2010.

Article 38(4) of the 1980 Convention stipulates that the Convention applies between the acceding country and such Contracting States as will have declared their acceptance of the accession. Therefore, the EU has to decide whether to accept the accession of Morocco, and if so, Member States must make the declaration of acceptance concerning Morocco’s accession in the interest of the European Union.

This is the purpose of the proposal.

The decision whether the Member States should accept Morocco’s accession to the 1980 Convention has to be taken by means of a Council Decision, adopted unanimously after consulting the European Parliament.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment has been undertaken.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 218 and 81(3) TFEU.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that Member States deposit simultaneously, and no later than two months from the date of adoption, a declaration of acceptance of the accession of Morocco to the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in the interest of the European Union.

Exclusive external competence of the EU : in accordance with the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice, the matter of international child abduction falls into the exclusive external competence of the EU, because of the adoption of internal Union legislation by means of Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility (the Brussels IIa Regulation), which applies between Member States from 1 March 2005. The Regulation introduces even stricter rules than the 1980 Hague Convention on parental child abduction, particularly in Article 11 of the Regulation. It refers directly to the Hague Convention and upholds its principles in European Union law.

Simultaneous adoption : the 1980 Convention was adopted more than 20 years before the Brussels IIa Regulation and thus does not contain any provision allowing the accession of International Organisations like the European Union . Member States have to ratify or accede to the Convention in the interest of the European Union.

Therefore, the Member States should declare, in the interest of the European Union, the acceptance regarding Morocco’s accession to the 1980 Hague Convention. For the sake of coherence and uniformity of Union law, Member States should make this declaration of acceptance simultaneously within a time frame established by the Council Decision. The Commission proposes no later than 2 months after the adoption of the Council Decision.

Central authority : it is crucial for the practical application of the 1980 Convention that a Contracting Party designates a Central Authority to discharge the duties which are imposed by the Convention upon such authorities. All Member States have designated Central Authorities under the 1980 Convention. Morocco has also designated the Central Authority that is needed to assist the European citizens in cases of wrongful removal of children to Morocco.

Territorial provisions : in accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol on the position of Denmark, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: the proposal has no implication for the European Union budget.

Documents

Activities

Votes

A8-0005/2015 - Heidi Hautala - Vote unique #

2015/02/11 Outcome: +: 654, -: 42, 0: 9
DE IT ES PL GB RO FR PT HU CZ EL BE AT BG NL SE FI DK SK HR IE LT LV LU EE CY SI MT
Total
90
66
50
48
69
31
69
21
21
20
20
20
18
16
22
19
12
12
12
11
10
10
8
6
6
6
7
4
icon: PPE PPE
211

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1
2

Luxembourg PPE

3

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
178

Netherlands S&D

2
3

Croatia S&D

2

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Malta S&D

2
icon: ECR ECR
68

Czechia ECR

2

Greece ECR

For (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

1

Netherlands ECR

For (1)

1

Finland ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Latvia ECR

For (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
59

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Romania ALDE

3

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Denmark ALDE

2

Croatia ALDE

2

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Lithuania ALDE

Abstain (1)

2

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

3

Slovenia ALDE

Abstain (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
48

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

France GUE/NGL

2

Netherlands GUE/NGL

3

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
48

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5

Hungary Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
50

Germany NI

For (1)

Against (1)

2
2

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

1

Belgium NI

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands NI

3

Latvia NI

1
icon: EFDD EFDD
42

Poland EFDD

1

France EFDD

1

Czechia EFDD

For (1)

1

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

2
AmendmentsDossier
1 2011/0451(NLE)
2014/12/08 JURI 1 amendments...
source: 544.320

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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  • date: 2015-12-10T00:00:00 body: EP/CSL type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
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  • date: 2014-11-04T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE541.440 title: PE541.440 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2014-12-08T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE544.320 title: PE544.320 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
events
  • date: 2011-12-21T00:00:00 type: Legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2011&nu_doc=916 title: EUR-Lex title: COM(2011)0916 summary: PURPOSE: in the interest of the EU, to adopt on the declaration of acceptance by the Member States of the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision. BACKGROUND: the aim of the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, to date ratified by 86 countries, including all EU Member States, is to restore the status quo by mean of the prompt return of wrongfully removed or retained children through a system of cooperation among central authorities appointed by its Contracting Parties. As the prevention of child abduction is an essential part of the EU policy to promote the rights of the child, the European Union is active at international level to improve the application of the 1980 Convention and encourages third States to accede it. Morocco deposited the accession instrument to the 1980 Convention on 9 March 2010. The Convention entered into force in Morocco on 1 June 2010. Article 38(4) of the 1980 Convention stipulates that the Convention applies between the acceding country and such Contracting States as will have declared their acceptance of the accession. Therefore, the EU has to decide whether to accept the accession of Morocco, and if so, Member States must make the declaration of acceptance concerning Morocco’s accession in the interest of the European Union. This is the purpose of the proposal. The decision whether the Member States should accept Morocco’s accession to the 1980 Convention has to be taken by means of a Council Decision, adopted unanimously after consulting the European Parliament. IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment has been undertaken. LEGAL BASIS: Article 218 and 81(3) TFEU. CONTENT: the Commission proposes that Member States deposit simultaneously, and no later than two months from the date of adoption, a declaration of acceptance of the accession of Morocco to the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in the interest of the European Union. Exclusive external competence of the EU : in accordance with the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice, the matter of international child abduction falls into the exclusive external competence of the EU, because of the adoption of internal Union legislation by means of Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility (the Brussels IIa Regulation), which applies between Member States from 1 March 2005. The Regulation introduces even stricter rules than the 1980 Hague Convention on parental child abduction, particularly in Article 11 of the Regulation. It refers directly to the Hague Convention and upholds its principles in European Union law. Simultaneous adoption : the 1980 Convention was adopted more than 20 years before the Brussels IIa Regulation and thus does not contain any provision allowing the accession of International Organisations like the European Union . Member States have to ratify or accede to the Convention in the interest of the European Union. Therefore, the Member States should declare, in the interest of the European Union, the acceptance regarding Morocco’s accession to the 1980 Hague Convention. For the sake of coherence and uniformity of Union law, Member States should make this declaration of acceptance simultaneously within a time frame established by the Council Decision. The Commission proposes no later than 2 months after the adoption of the Council Decision. Central authority : it is crucial for the practical application of the 1980 Convention that a Contracting Party designates a Central Authority to discharge the duties which are imposed by the Convention upon such authorities. All Member States have designated Central Authorities under the 1980 Convention. Morocco has also designated the Central Authority that is needed to assist the European citizens in cases of wrongful removal of children to Morocco. Territorial provisions : in accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol on the position of Denmark, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: the proposal has no implication for the European Union budget.
  • date: 2014-11-24T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2015-01-20T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2015-01-22T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2015-0005&language=EN title: A8-0005/2015 summary: The Committee on Legal Affairs adopted the report by Heidi HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI) on the proposal for a Council decision on the declaration of acceptance by the Member States, in the interest of the European Union, of the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Convention introduces a system of cooperation between the contracting states aimed at settling cases of international child abduction. In the case of divorce, it may often be that the courts in both of the states concerned declare themselves competent, with each of them awarding custody of the child to the parent who is a national of their state. The purpose of the Convention is to resolve such situations at an international level, by establishing that the competent courts and applicable laws are those of the state of residence of the child . The Convention also introduces a system which ensures the immediate return of children who have been abducted . The EU now has exclusive external competence in this field as confirmed by the Court of Justice in Opinion 1/13. The Member States therefore no longer act on their own account. The problem is that the Convention does not provide for autonomous action by international organisations. This has rendered necessary a Council Decision calling on Member States to accept – each in respect of their own territory – the accession of Morocco to the Convention, and hence the effective entry into force of the Convention in cases involving the EU and that country (many EU citizens are of Moroccan origin). Children with links to the Moroccan community will thus be safeguarded against abduction. Therefore, the committee recommended that the European Parliament approve the proposed Council Decision and approve the acceptance of the accession of Morocco.
  • date: 2015-02-10T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20150210&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2015-02-11T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=25220&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2015-02-11T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2015-0026 title: T8-0026/2015 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 654 votes to 42, with 9 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision on the declaration of acceptance by the Member States, in the interest of the European Union, of the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Parliament approved the proposal for a Council decision and the acceptance of the accession.
  • date: 2015-12-10T00:00:00 type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament body: EP/CSL
  • date: 2015-12-10T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
  • date: 2015-12-17T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal summary: PURPOSE: to authorise certain Member States to accept, in the interest of the EU, the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2015/2357 authorising certain Member States to accept, in the interest of the European Union, the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction CONTENT: by this Decision, the Member States that have not yet done so are authorised to accept the accession of Morocco to the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (‘the 1980 Hague Convention’) in the interest of the Union. The European Union has set as one of its aims the promotion of the protection of the rights of the child, as stated in Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union. Measures for the protection of children against wrongful removal or retention are an essential part of that policy. Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 complements and reinforces the 1980 Hague Convention, which establishes, at international level, a system of obligations and cooperation among contracting states and between central authorities and aims to ensure the prompt return of wrongfully removed or retained children. The 1980 Hague Convention does not allow regional economic integration organisations such as the Union to become party to it. Therefore, the Union cannot accede to that Convention, nor can it deposit a declaration of acceptance of an acceding state. All Member States of the Union are party to the 1980 Hague Convention. The Union encourages third states to accede to the 1980 Hague Convention. Morocco deposited its instrument of accession to the 1980 Hague Convention on 9 March 2010. The 1980 Hague Convention entered into force for Morocco on 1 June 2010. Several Member States have already accepted the accession of Morocco to the 1980 Hague Convention. An assessment of the situation in this country has led to the conclusion that those Member States that have not yet accepted the accession of Morocco, are in a position to accept, in the interest of the Union, the accession of this country under the terms of the 1980 Hague Convention. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 18.12.2015. docs: title: Decision 2015/2357 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32015D2357 title: OJ L 331 17.12.2015, p. 0020 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2015:331:TOC
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  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/ title: Justice commissioner: REDING Viviane
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New
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  • 4.10.02 Family policy, family law, parental leave
  • 4.10.03 Child protection, children's rights
  • 7.40.02 Judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters
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Old
Hague Convention 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction: accession of Morocco
New
Hague Convention (1980) on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction: accession of Morocco
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  • body: EP shadows: group: EPP name: ZWIEFKA Tadeusz group: S&D name: HONEYBALL Mary responsible: True committee: JURI date: 2014-09-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Legal Affairs rapporteur: group: Verts/ALE name: HAUTALA Heidi
  • body: EP responsible: True committee: JURI date: 2012-01-25T00:00:00 committee_full: Legal Affairs rapporteur: group: Verts/ALE name: LICHTENBERGER Eva
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee: LIBE
links
National parliaments
European Commission
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/ title: Justice commissioner: REDING Viviane
procedure
geographical_area
Morocco
reference
2011/0451(NLE)
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Decision
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stage_reached
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subtype
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title
Hague Convention 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction: accession of Morocco
type
NLE - Non-legislative enactments
subject